Images

Netizens are outraged after a mural of Noor Mukadam was defaced in Sialkot

Netizens are outraged after a mural of Noor Mukadam was defaced in Sialkot

We don’t even believe or respect victims even when they’re dead, a user angrily posted on Twitter.
Updated 03 Aug, 2021

Many netizens are angrily questioning why a victim of violence isn't afforded the respect she clearly deserves after a mural honouring the late Noor Mukadam was vandalised in Sialkot on Monday.

Residents of Sialkot had created a mural of Mukadam to honour and remember the 27-year-old after she was brutally murdered in Islamabad on July 21. Photos of the mural were widely shared and appreciated on social media. The background of the mural was reportedly painted by Mukadam herself.

But when people visited Ghanta Ghar on Monday, they discovered that Mukadam's picture on the mural had been defaced. Users shared pictures of the vandalised mural on social media to express their anger.

"Angry men vandalised Noor's picture on a mural she painted herself in Sialkot, " a user tweeted. "I fail to understand why and how just a simple picture and mural, and poetry would offend some especially after what happened to her."

Many others see the apathy and indifference shown by the perpetrators as a reflection of wider societal indifference towards women who experience harassment, violence and abuse at the hands of men.

"Probably no image that better reflects Pakistan's treatment of women than that of a woman's face scribbled over roughly with black ink," a user posted.

Another user tweeted, "I just came back from the clock tower in Sialkot where they have defaced a mural one of my family friends had put up of Noor. Apparently we don’t even believe or respect [victims] even when they’re dead. I have no words to explain my outrage."

One post on Twitter read, "We say that we have to die in order for you to believe us, but no not even in death? What could you possibly have against a woman who was murdered and beheaded?"

"It's painful to see how people can project their hate on an innocent woman. The woman who was a victim [of] such a gruesome crime. What kind of society are we living and breathing in?" asked another user.

Some Twitter users sarcastically alluded to Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent remarks made in an interview to PBS NewsHour while sharing pictures of the defaced mural. PM Imran had said, "having traveled all over the world, I find that, in Muslim countries, in Pakistan, even in other Muslim countries I have seen, women having — far more treated with respect and given more dignity."

"Wow so much for 'women in Pakistan get a lot of respect'. [People] can't even stand mural of a dead woman," a user posted on Twitter.

One user point out that posters of the Aurat March are regularly vandalised and such occurrences aren't exactly new. "Most Aurat March art pieces put up in March stand defaced, painted over, scratched off," they said.

News of the vandalism comes after the Aurat March in Faisalabad was cancelled reportedly due to "pressure by local authorities". The march was also meant to honour Mukadam and raise voices on behalf of victims of violence in Pakistan.

Comments

HWH Aug 03, 2021 04:51pm
Why people forget the name of the country, Pakistan! It is normal.
Recommend
Asad Aug 03, 2021 04:52pm
Less than 0.1% of population comprised of Liberals & Feudal, they are powerful and want to dictate their belief on rest of Pakistan.
Recommend
Nasir Aug 03, 2021 05:07pm
Why their is a need to post mural on road. We should avoid the agenda of others and stop gender base murals. The case is under trial and lets give the court to decide and punish the killer and his accomplice who so ever. .
Recommend
Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Aug 03, 2021 05:08pm
What a grave, grim, gross and great tragedy? Are well still living in the dark ages?
Recommend
Ramay. Aug 03, 2021 06:11pm
Does someone peep in the matter regarding young woman brutal murder, there are lessons for parents,sisters and brothers. Always identify the company of the kids,we live in a demising society of sickminds,cause of the lethal corruption,crime & terrorism by our own brothers, groomed up in last 30 years of selfish rule of two very barbaric goons. Try to teach self defence to the females, if they are allowed to express themselves, of their free will,my desire for my body.
Recommend
Hamid Aug 03, 2021 06:38pm
Hockey sticks from statue stolen twice, paintings defaced multiple times, a statue of cyclist damaged, etc. Has Pakistani youth generally ever believed in preserving public art?
Recommend
well-wisher Aug 03, 2021 06:58pm
If there were CCTV in the area, culprits could be brought to justice. Defacing is criminal. Law enforcement should find the culprits.
Recommend
Ahmad Aug 03, 2021 07:42pm
Looking at the comments to see people blaming the victim, blaming the liberals. Pakistan is a lost cause. And these people are the messengers of doom.
Recommend
Faizan Aug 03, 2021 07:43pm
There was no need for her picture there. A few liberal extremists getting outraged means nothing.
Recommend
ST Aug 03, 2021 07:44pm
Dead should be respected .And she suffered a lot, and died in agony. At least we should show mercy. Defacing a mural will just create a havoc and greived parents would suffer more.
Recommend
M. Saeed Aug 03, 2021 07:53pm
We are a nation of acute complexes. When we ridicule Aurat Match just because they are peacefully asking for their rights and even censure our young Nobel Laureate, Malala Yousdafzai for all the possible bad names, what consideration they would have for Noor Mukadam, who for them is just another slain women for whatever reason they can think about?
Recommend
Im Raan Aug 03, 2021 07:54pm
This is Pakistan! What were people expecting?
Recommend
Dragon tail Aug 03, 2021 08:06pm
This looks like Imran Khan approved activities.
Recommend
TZaman Aug 03, 2021 08:10pm
Our society is going becoming dumber every day.
Recommend
Shezi Aug 03, 2021 08:50pm
What the PM has said is 100% true. In Pakistan, women can use their women card at many places and gain advantages, for example, they can skip a queue, get a seat in a bus, people giving way in a congested place is normal. So the PM IK is all correct.
Recommend
Asim Aug 03, 2021 09:07pm
These so-called liberals always need some issue to remain in the media.
Recommend
Truth be told Aug 03, 2021 09:32pm
What respect? She was in a live-in-relationship with the murderer.
Recommend
Truth be told Aug 03, 2021 09:35pm
@Nasir Lately Pakistan has undertaken the habit of making statues and murals. A new culture is in the making. Oppose the statues, ain't sure how murals fare per beliefs.
Recommend
Anon. Aug 03, 2021 11:10pm
No surprise, there is no humanity left, a harmless mural triggers people. Strange.
Recommend
Chrís Dăn Aug 03, 2021 11:31pm
@Truth be told so?
Recommend
Parvez Aug 03, 2021 11:52pm
Sialkot ... a PML-N stronghold .
Recommend
Amber Aug 04, 2021 12:07am
@Truth be told and hence deserved to.be murdered???!!!
Recommend
Amber Aug 04, 2021 12:09am
@Shezi so it is ok to rape/murder them?
Recommend
Parsa Aug 04, 2021 01:35am
@Truth be told Nothing wrong with consenting adults living together. Stop being sanctimonious and respect women and their decisions.
Recommend
Fiaz Aug 04, 2021 02:01am
Vandalism is crime and should be left to police to deal with,
Recommend
DK Aug 04, 2021 07:47am
difference of opinion if majority likes Noor maybe many of them don't like her either. Respect and understand both sides instead of imposing on others.
Recommend
Sarfraz Malik Aug 04, 2021 10:38am
This is the reason I being my kids out of Pakistan.
Recommend
Tariq Aug 04, 2021 10:56am
If cameras had pickup some of these culprits then they must be punished for their inhuman behavior.
Recommend
Akil Akhtar Aug 04, 2021 11:27am
BTW do we have any evidence who defaced the picture...?
Recommend
Akil Akhtar Aug 04, 2021 11:29am
@Parsa I hope you are not a Pakistani or a muslim to hold such rubbish beliefs
Recommend
Tauba Aug 04, 2021 03:18pm
@Nasir i am sorry what is there to decide by court ? body was found inside the room of the killer while he was present at the scene. Trial happens when there is no enough evidence to prove if someone is guilty or not. If retributive justice ie Qisas is not served to this killer as a punishment then there will be a huge question mark in the so called islamic pakistani justice system.
Recommend
FB Aug 04, 2021 07:00pm
@Nasir spoken like a typical man. Can't even support a mural of a woman who was brutally murdered. Shame on you.
Recommend